


Trapped

by Sing_Melokia



Series: Anything is possible [2]
Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2020-01-17
Packaged: 2021-01-02 19:59:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21167036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sing_Melokia/pseuds/Sing_Melokia
Summary: The siege at Adamant hadn't gone as smoothly as they hoped. But then it got even more messed up. What were they going to do now?





	1. That wasn't supposed to happen.

**Author's Note:**

> These stories can be read in any order. None of them are linked. They are just random 'what ifs?' and 'I wish this or that happened in the story line' things that come to me. I like to day dream and it is really the first time I've ever put any of them down in writing. It's fun and makes me happy.  
Also, if anyone ever wonders why I very rarely put Solas and Vivenne in my fan fics, it's because they annoy me in game. Vivenne just grinds on my nerves with her 'I'm better than anyone else' attitude. Don't get me wrong however. If you like her then that's totally cool. Solas doesn't premier much because he's a big ol' butt head and started this mess in the first place. I do like him as a character and his romance line is a bit sweet.  
Anyway, on with the reading.

And here Onyvr was, stuck in the Fade. Again. At least this time he wasn't alone. Varric, Cassandra, Dorian, the Grey Warden Alistair and the Champion of Kirkwall, Nyx Hawke were at his side. Together they trudged through this Nightmare realm. Coming face to face with small fears, despair, rage and pride demons, they battled through it all. The spirit masquerading as the Divine led the worn out party towards their only way out. Which, of course, was guarded. By that giant monstrosity of a spider and an Aspect of the Nightmare itself. 

The Divine Spirit drew away the attention of the huge, too many eyed, spider as the Inquisitor and his small group rained hell down upon the Terror demon. Through the destructive spells, swords and daggers, they brought the Nightmare Aspect to its knees. Path cleared, Onyvr urged his team mates ahead. One by one, he watched them jump through the rift to safety. Only the Warden and Champion remained by his side.

Grabbing a hold of them both, Onyvr dragged them towards the stairs. But he was not quick enough. With a tremendous thud, the demon spider blocked their path. Instinctively, a barrier sprang up around Onyvr, shielding the trio. A pointed leg smashed down on the barrier. It deflected the attack but shattered it in the process. Onyvr, Alistair and Hawke rolled out of the way as it stomped down. Jumping to their feet, the three of them made a break for the Rift. 

Sprinting up the stairs, Onyvr straight up shoved Hawke through. Varric would've killed him if he left his best friend in the Fade. Onyvr reached out to push Alistair in but his hand grabbed empty air. One of the spider's long legs had swept the Warden back down the stairs. Onyvr spied Alistair staggering to his feet, hand on his ribs. Drawing his sword, the man banged it against the rocks next to him. 

"Run! Just go!" Alistair shouted as he tried drawing the demon spider's attention. 

Onyvr stood there, frozen. Hesitance rooting him to the spot. Alistair was backing away from the stairs, making as much sound as possible to keep the spider's attention on him. 

"Tell Kayla I'm sorry and that I love her." Alistair called as he half stumbled/ half ran. 

"Please forgive me." Onyvr whispered as he turned his back on the Warden ensuring his escape. 

*****

The last of bound demons and possessed Grey Warden mages had been dealt with at Adamant. The Inquisition forces had been joined by the Hero of Ferelden herself when she had heard about the Grey Wardens being bound to Coryephus. Alistair's letters were infrequent but he had described what was happening. Kayla Tabris couldn't let her love go off and fight something this big without her. She had come charging into battle, staff raised, wolf by her side. The pair slashed and clawed their way through demons and Wardens alike to get to the inner courtyard. On her way there, she came by a curious elf. He hefted a giant two handed sword , cleaving enemies in half with a blow. Strange white brands lit up across his tanned skin as he fought. Short, snow white hair bounced around his pointed ears. A murderous scowl donned his face as he muttered "Damn Blood mages. I'm going to kill Hawke when I find her. Sneak out of the house and leave me behind." 

Kayla smirked to herself as she heard her fellow elf. She had read "Tales of the Champion" and knew this had to be the former Tevinter slave, Fenris. Dispatching the last of the demons around them, Kayla leaned against her staff. She pushed strands of her curly cooper hair out of her face as she called out to the other elf. 

"Looking for someone, Fenris?" 

Fenris glanced at her, wiping blood from his face with a discarded robe."Huh? That's the Hero of Ferelden" He thought to himself. He remembered Merill talking about her. At great length. Her distinct cooper curls and blood red vallahsim made her stand out.

"I am indeed. You haven't come across a black haired, blue eyed rogue with blood smeared across her face, have you?"

"Not yet, I'm afraid. I'm searching for my idiot husband too." Kayla beckoned the moody elf to follow her. "If anything, they'll be in the courtyard with the Inquisitor. Care to tag along?"

"With pleasure." Grumbled Fenris as he fell into step beside the Hero and her wolf. 

The pair entered the courtyard just as Cassandra, Varric and Dorian fell through the giant Rift. The three scrambled out of the way as the entire room collectively held their breath. For what seemed like an eternity, they waited for the Inquisitor, Grey Warden and Champion to emerge from the green expanse. Then suddenly, Nyx Hawke came tumbling out. She had gotten to her feet when the Inquisitor finally jumped through, alone. 

A sigh of relief was felt when he appeared. Turning his back on his waiting forces, Onyvr reached out with the Anchor and started to close the rift. He couldn't let them all see the guilt on his face for leaving Alistair behind. He straightened his back as he felt the pull of the Anchor connecting to the Rift. Hawke stood silently by his side as the Inquisitor locked Alistair's only means of escape. 

"The needs of the many out way the needs of the few." The rogue mentally sighed to herself.

Back turned, Onyvr didn't see the commotion behind him. Lord Erimond had become a dead weight in the hands of the Inquisition soldiers restraining him. The Tevinter fanatic dropped to the ground. His sudden movement startled the guards into releasing him. In quick fashion, Servis raised his shackled hands towards Inquisitor Lavellan. Servis pulled the magic from the air and concentrated it into a stone fist. Even without a staff, he was deadly accurate. Before anyone could stop him, he throw the spell right at Onyvr. 

Onyvr and Hawke turned their heads at the same time when they heard the whizzing of the spell through the air. Onyvr couldn't move as he was still closing the Rift and was stuck in that spot until the link was healed. Time seemed to slow down as the stone fist hurtled towards them.

Nyx Hawke may have been a rogue and fast on her feet, but not fast enough to stop the blow. Hawke grabbed onto Onyvr and went to pull him out of the way but got caught in the blast instead. Both of them were blown off their feet and back into the tear in the Fade. The Anchor, still active, closed the Rift behind them. The silence that fell over everyone present was deafening. No one could make sense of what just occurred. 

Lord Erimond cackled loudly to himself. Tears of laughter rolled down his face as his guards roughly dragged him to his feet. A few of the Inquisition templars rushed forward to spell purge him and stop him from casting. Fenris and Kayla rushed down the stairs towards the shackled mage, rage etched on their faces. However, they were beaten to him. The pair slid to a stop when another Tevinter mage went sprinting passed him. Varric joined them as they watched Dorian.

Having been raised by nobility in Tevinter, Dorian was trained from a young age to hide his emotion. Emotion was seen as a weakness in the Imperium. Only to be let out behind closed doors and away from prying eyes. However, Dorian was never taught how to deal with a broken heart. And the moment that Rift slammed closed behind Onyvr, Dorian's world crumbled. He knew that was slim to no chance of the Inquisitor escaping from that Nightmare. All Dorian saw was red. He shook with rage as he went running at the man who caused it all.

Dorian barreled through the troops and into the spell purge field. He felt his magic being nullified by the spell but he didn't need it. With as much force as he could muster, he punched the other mage in the face. Lord Erimond's smug smile was wiped clean off as he felt his nose break on impact. His head whipped back from the force behind the hit. Dorian tackled Erimond to the ground when the guards let go of him in disbelief. Straddling his chest, the Altus continued the attack on Magister. Blow after blow rained down on the quickly-blooding face. Dorian would've beaten the man to death if Iron Bull hadn't rushed over and hoisted him away. A unending string of Teven curses poured out of Dorian's mouth as Bull carried him away.

Fenris was flabbergasted. Yes, he had been a slave in the Imperium and had endured countless hours of punishments for no reason. But never had he seen a Tevinter noble attack someone with such hate-filled brutality before. Fenris watched the giant Quanri struggling to keep the mage pinned to his chest as he fought the restraints. 

"Varric, explain something." Fenris asked the dwarf beside him.

"Why Sparkler is acting how he is?" Varric knew where this was going. He had hung around Broody enough to know how the elf thought.

"Yes. I had lived half my life in the Imperium but not once have I seen Tevinter nobility act like that." 

Varric sighed and gestured towards said mage. Bull had finally released Dorian who had sunk to the ground with his back against a stone wall. He could see his head on his knees and his shoulders heaving from sobbing. "As unlikely as it would seem, not all of Tevinters are bad people. Sparkler is a good man. He and the Inquisitor were involved. Anyone with eyes could see how madly in love they were." 

"Oh." Fenris started before being interrupted by Kayla.

"Where's Alistair?" She asked Varric, as she looked around the crowds for the said man.

"Ummm..." Varric rubbed the back of his neck worriedly. Of course he would have to be the one to tell the Hero of Ferelden what happened to her husband and fellow Warden. "So... You see... The thing is..."

A single tear rolled down her cheek as she stopped the dwarf from talking. "He's stuck in the Fade too, isn't he?"

"Yes." Sadly, Varric confirmed. 

"Ok." Was all Kayla could get out, her mouth suddenly dry. Blinking back tears, the Hero looked over at distraught mage. With a jerk of her head, she motioned Fenris to follow her. The two elves made their way over to Dorian. They sat themselves quietly on other side of him. 

Dorian looked up when he felt their presences next to him. Red rimmed eyes stared at the two elves who shared his sadness and anger. Silently, Kayla reached for Dorian's hands. The knuckles were bruised and split from beating in Erimond's face. Blood dripping down his fingers and stained his robes. He watched as a green glow enveloped them and started to heal the damage he had done. 

Fenris cleared his throat. Kayla and Dorian glanced over at him as he asked, "That Magister bastard was lucky you got to him first. I would've ripped his heart out with my bare hands."

Dorian snorted slightly. "I'm unlucky that Bull stopped me before I could finish beating his head into the ground."

Fenris nodded in agreement. He had a feeling that he might actually like this Tevinter mage. "I may not be a mage, nor very well read but from what Varric and Nyx has told me in their letters, you are pretty much a genius Altus. How are we going to get them back?"

Dorian took a deep breath before answering him, "I'm not sure yet. But I know that I will never stop trying to get them back."


	2. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Onyvr, Nyx and Alistair are trapped in the Nightmare Fade and they can't think of a way out. Help comes looking for them instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this chapter is alright. I changed it a couple of times and I feel like it's the best I can do at the moment. It's hard to concentrate when you have a four year old nagging you for food every five minutes. Damn growth spurts. She's lucky she's cute and tells me she "wuvs me".

"Shit. Shit. Shit. What are we going to do now?" 

Nyx Hawke scrambled to her feet at the top of the crumbling stairs. Her hands pushed her fringe out of her face as she glanced around the Fade quickly. It wasn't hard to spot that monstrous spider down at the bottom of the stairs. Luckily for her and the Inquisitor, it was distracted by the still standing Alistair. The poor man had been backed into a corner as he slashed away at the many legs. The entrance to the rocky tunnel was only a few paces away from him but he couldn't seem to find an opening to run to safety. Even from the top of the stairs, the Champion could see the sweat dripping off the Grey Warden. His attacks were getting slower and less effective from exhaustion. It wouldn't be long before Alistair wouldn't be able to defend himself. Hawke knew she needed to act quickly to get them all out of there. However, one major problem lay at her feet, Onyvr Lavellan. The Dalish Inquisitor had been knocked unconscious from Erimond's attack. It also didn't help that his head had been battered against the stone steps when they came tumbling back through the rift. There was no way she was leaving the elf there. Not when he was the only hope of them escaping this realm and the only hope of defeating Corypheus. 

Thinking quickly, Hawke pulled one of her two remaining bombs out of its pouch. After placing it on top of a broken pillar, she knelt down and hoisted the knocked out elf over her shoulders. The man was a dead weight which tipped her slightly off balance. She was used to carting a passed out Fenris to bed and this was no different. Steadying herself, Hawke straightened up right. With her last illusion bottle, she cracked it open and slipped into stealth mode. Walking quickly but carefully, the rogue made for the safety of the rock tunnel. Her grip was tight on the Inquisitor's arm and leg as she picked her way through the rubble strewn across the ground. Scared to drop Onyvr, Hawke ducked under the spider's legs. Weaving her way through, Hawke finally made it the tunnel. Placing the Inquisitor as gently as she could on the ground, the Champion turned back towards the exit. 

With the illusion potion about to wear off, Hawke bent down and picked up a loose stone. Taking aim at the bomb she had left at the top of the stairs, Hawke pegged the rock as hard as she could. Her aim was true and hit the bomb dead center. It tumbled off the pillar and exploded. The deafening blast rang out as bits of Fade rock and stone flew into the air. The giant spider Alistair was fending off turned away from the Warden and towards the sound. 

This was all Alistair needed to make a break for the tunnel. Sprinting away from the monster, the Warden made it to safety. He almost had a heart attack when the Champion of Kirkwall appeared out of nowhere. Alistair fell backwards onto the hard ground in shock.

"What are you doing here? I thought you got out of this place. I saw you jump through the rift." The exhausted Grey Warden managed to ask in between gasps of air. Blood tricked down his face from a nasty gash on his forehead and dripped onto his breastplate, staining it a dark red. Dust and dirt mixed with sweat stuck to his skin. Hawke handed him a small rag to try and stem the blood flow.

"It wasn't my plan to come back in here either. Believe me. But what do you expect? For something to go right in this world? Please. Life would be boring if it did." Hawke walked over to where she had deposited Onyvr to assess his injuries. It was then that Alistair spotted the Inquisitor laying in the dirt.

"The Inquisitor is here too? No. This is bad. Really bad. How did this happen?" Alistair moved to join the pair. 

Looking over the elf's head, Nyx Hawke found two large lumps from the impacts he had taken. "Lord Erimond is what happened. Waited until Lavellan had almost closed the rift before blasting us with a stone fist. I tired to push Lavellan out of the way but got hit too. The rift closed behind us as we came back through. He hit his head when we landed and has been knocked out since. I had to carry him down here. Used my last illusion potion to do so. Here, give us a hand. Sit in front of him and hold him upright so I can clean his head. He's going to have one massive headache when he wakes up." 

Alistair did as he was instructed. Supporting the Inquisitor, he and Hawke tended to his injuries as best they could. With only two health potions between all three them, they both agreed to save them for a major emergency. When they had finished, Alistair picked Onyvr up. With Hawke leading, they made their way quietly towards the other end of the tunnel. Hawke remembered seeing a secluded alcove where the trio could hide out and rest. The Grey Warden gently placed the Inquisitor back on the ground with his head in Hawke's lap before moving to stand guard. Nyx looked down at the Dalish elf resting in her lap. His surprisingly long hair had come out of its bun when Nyx was looking over his injuries. Running her fingers through the silken sheet, her thoughts turned to Fenris. What Nyx wouldn't give to be in his arms right now instead of this hell hole of a Fade. She had glimpsed him standing next to the Hero of Ferelden before she and the Inquisitor were blasted back into the Fade. Hawke hadn't known Fenris was at Adamant Fortress but she knew why. If she ever made it out of here alive, she knew she was in trouble. A small smile graced her face as Nyx thought of the verbal tongue lashing she would receive from her lover. 

But until that time came, all they could do was wait and hope that the Inquisitor woke up.

*****

Fingers running gently through his hair was the first thing the Inquisitor felt as he started to wake up. But the calming effect of them were quickly over powered by painful pounding of his head. Onyvr groaned in pain as he raised his hands to his head. 

"Alistair! He's waking up!" Onyvr heard from above him. 

He parted his eyes to see Nyx and Alistair staring down at him. "What happened?" He asked groggily as he tried to sit up.

Hawke placed her hands on his shoulders to help him sit up slowly. "Well, I just enjoyed this Nightmare Fade so much that I wanted to come back and do some more sightseeing. And you insisted on coming along." Hawke and Alistair chuckled at her lame joke while Onyvr gave them a weak smile. "Truth is, that Magister bastard knocked us back in here with a stone fist and the rift closed behind us. You took a couple of nasty blows to the head and have been letting me and Alistair do all the work while you took a nap."

"Well that explains why it feels like a druffalo is standing on my skull." Onyvr rested his head in his hands, trying to will away the headache. But the throbbing pain continued to radiate through his skull. 

The Warden and Champion nodded sadly in agreement. 

"But it's just us stuck here, right? No one else from my team? Dorian is safe?" Onyvr hoped with all his heart that this was true.

"Yes. It's just us. Everyone else made it out." Hawke comforted the elf with a smile. She knew that kind of love. 

"Thank Mythal for that. I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to him." Onyvr breathed a sigh of relief at the news. 

"Alright then. How do you reckon we can get out of this miserable place?"Alistair rubbed his hands together as he asked his two companions. 

Before Onyvr could even try to formulate a plan, he felt his inside churning. Turning away, he vomited up what little he had until he was dry retching. Hawke had a hold of his hair to keep it out of the way as he emptied his stomach. When he had finished, Alistair passed him a water skin to rinse his mouth out with. 

"Sorry." Onyvr meekly apologised to them. "Apparently, I have a concussion as well."

"That doesn't surprise me. We can rest here a bit more before trying to think of a way out of this place." Hawke set the elf at ease. 

"Don't worry about it. I hunt darkspawn for a living. A bit of vomit doesn't bother me." Alistair joked. 

Onyvr vision started to blur. He tried to focus on what Alistair and Hawke were saying to him but the words sounded distorted and muddled. Like if they were trying to talk underwater. He couldn't keep himself upright as the world around him tilted drastically. Hawke caught the elf as he tipped to the side, saving him from bashing his head against the ground again. 

"No Lavellan. You have to stay awake. You can't pass out. It's too dangerous" Hawke leaned over the Inquisitor, lightly tapping his face to try and bring him back to consciousness.

Onyvr's eyes parted slightly and he stared up at Hawke and Alistair hovering over them. 

"I told you no one was allowed in my room. The mice are going to get on the bed." Onyvr words slurred as he muttered nonsense at the pair of them. "Mice aren't allowed on the bed. Dorian will be mad. They'll bite his cute toes." The elf went limp as he blacked out.

The Warden and the Champion looked at each other worriedly. 

"He's hallucinating. That is not a good sign." Hawke sighed as she adjusted her small pack under Onyvr's head for a makeshift pillow.

"True. We have to get out of here as quickly as possible. He needs medical attention and fast." Agreed Alistair grimly. "But I call dibs on telling Onyvr what he said." 

"Deal. But only if we find a way home." Hawke humored the man, hoping against all hope that he gets the chance to do so.

***** 

Alistair and Hawke felt like they had been in this nightmare for an eternity and only for a second. They had no way telling how much time had actually passed in the real world. The pair took turns standing guard of their little alcove while Onyvr drifted in and out of consciousness. It seemed like all the demons had disappeared from the area and other than Onyvr's random amusing mumbling, it was deathly silent. 

Alistair came to revel Hawke of her watch. 

"How's Lavellan doing?" She asked.

"As well as before. No improvement though. However, he's started ranting about beards." Alistair answered as he took over Hawke's spot. 

"Beards?" Nyx inquired.

"Yeah. I believe it was along the lines of 'Oh. Wow. Why do you have a nest on your face? Is that where all the mice sleep? Tell them to stay off my bed and go back to your beard. Beards are for mice.' I should be writing these down." Alistair chuckled to himself as he started his watch.

Nyx shook her head as she made her way to Onyvr's side to watch over him. She had barely sat down when Alistair called out to her. 

"Umm, Hawke. We might have a problem. There's a wolf." 

Hawke scrambled to her feet and rushed to the Warden's side, pulling her daggers as she went. The woman skidded to a stop next to Alistair when she spotted the man's concern. Sitting on its hunches, was a wolf but none like she had ever seen in her life. This thing was huge. Double the size of any wolf Hawke had ever encountered. It's fur was as black as midnight and its long, sharp claws glowed silver. The really unnerving thing about it was the way it studied them with its six shining red eyes. It almost seemed like it was trying to decide what to do with them. 

"What do you think we should do?" Hawke muttered to Alistair, not once taking his eyes of the huge beast. 

"Well it hasn't attacked us yet. Maybe it's like that Divine spirit and it's here to help us." Alistair theorised as he returned his sword to its sheath. He motioned Hawke to do the same as he approached the black wolf. "Hi there, big guy. There's no need to fear us. We won't hurt you. Can you help us? Our friend is badly hurt and we need to get out of here as quickly as possible so he can get medical help." 

The wolf cocked its head as the Warden approached him slowly. It appeared to be listening to every word Alistair had said and its ears had perked up when the Warden had mentioned that Onyvr. The wolf rose from its seated position and moved towards the elf lying on the ground behind them. Hawke's and Alistair's jaws dropped as the black wolf sniffed at the unconscious Inquisitor. Its tail wagged slowly as though it was pleased. Turning to look at the stunned humans, the wolf motioned for them to come closer. They stepped forward cautiously as the wolf nudged at the Inquisitor with its nose before staring pointedly at Alistair.

"I think it wants you to pick the Inquisitor up Alistair. Might as well listen to it. We've got nothing to lose." Hawke spoke quietly.

Alistair shrugged his shoulders to agree. "I believe you're right Champion. Taking orders from a giant, six eyed, black wolf. Not the weirdest thing that has happened in my life." Alistair knelt down to pick Lavellan up while Hawke picked up her pack and their few supplies before joining the waiting wolf. 

The movement of being carried jolted Onyvr awake briefly. He spotted the black wolf waiting for them and it brought out a small laugh from the elf. 

"Ha! It's the Dread Wolf. According to my Keeper, he was a bad wolf. Tricked all the gods. Don't tell her. The Dread Wolf is my favourite God. Cheeky puppy." Onyvr chuckled as his eyes closed again. 

The Dread Wolf's tail wagged at the praise as he led them down the tunnel. Stopping in front of a stone wall, he pushed at it with its snout. The stone melted away into nothingness, opening up an entrance way to a new part of the Fade. Glancing back at his stunned companions, the Wolf led them away from the waking nightmare. The three heroes followed blindly along, trusting that this was their ticket home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The way I see it, when they're trapped physically in the Fade, they have no way of altering their surroundings. But what would happen if say, a very talented (god like even) rift mage, entered in a dream state? They would have the ability to control the elements of the Fade around them. And I very much doubt anyone, demon or not, would mess with a big arse wolf wandering around.


	3. One more door

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dorian is trying to find the answers but the grief of loss is getting in the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love my boys but I'm so mean to them sometimes. My poor darlings. 
> 
> Also, I like to think of Fade as Ant Man stuck in the Quantum Realm.

The weeks passed at Skyhold, turning into months. And yet no one seemed any closer to finding a solution for rescuing their savior. Any and all experts on magic, the Fade and the likes were contacted and brought to the mountain fortress. Mages and scholars filled the mage tower and library, searching for an answer. The sounds of scratching quills and pages fluttering drifted over the courtyard and training areas, mixing in with the clatter of troops practicing troop formations. The constant noise soon became the norm throughout Skyhold. And yet it made the Inquisitor's Inner Circle restless.

The Iron Bull, Sera and Blackwall were not studious people by any stretch of the measure, so they stuck with what they knew. Blackwall and Bull aided Commander Cullen in the training yard, putting the Inquisition forces through their paces. Anything to keep themselves busy. And Sera, with the aid of a few of the orphan children, wreaked havoc with well placed pranks. Water buckets above doorways, noble chairs nailed down, itching powder in under garment drawers and fake spiders booby-trapped Skyhold. Her little comrades-in-arms were quite sneaky in tying unsuspecting people's shoelaces together or slipping jam into unguarded pockets. An Inner Circle favourite was when Sera somehow managed to stuff bees into Cullen's training dummy. The sight of him running, swatting at the stinging insects and yelling curses at Sera never failed to bring a round of laughter out of them. A lot of people didn't understand how Sera's mind ticked but those who knew her more personally, knew this was her version of boosting morale. And trying to keep the dread of abandonment from clouding her mind.

Cassandra, Leliana, Josephine and Varric sent letter after letter calling for any help or advice they could find. To their disappointment, letter after letter came back with very little to no help at all. Josephine was slowly losing her optimism and Antivan cheer. The former Left and Right hands of the Divine just become more stubborn and determined with every rejection. Even Cullen joined them in their missive writing when he wasn't trying to drown himself in work.

Vivienne had every available resource she could think of shipped to the Skyhold library. Tomes of magical theory and practices sat stacked around the circular tower, almost over stuffing the already cramped library. In her mind, she was above actually looking through the old, dusty books. But she wasn't that cold-hearted to deny others the valuable items. Who knew what lay hidden in the depths of these ancient books. Everywhere around Skyhold was evidence of what lengths the Inquisition would go to to retrieve their leader from the Fade. And they hadn't forgotten his two companions trapped there with him. Losing all three of them was a reality no-one was willing to face just yet. Especially those three's significant others.

Fenris and Kayla had traveled back to Skyhold from the Western Approach with the rest of the Inquisition who had fought in the siege of Adamant. They knew the Inquisition was the only chance they had at getting back Alistair and Hawke. Fenris stalked the battlements with his gleaming two handed sword, an imposing figure cut against the endless mountain sky. When he wasn't haunting the battlements, he was usually found close to Varric in the Great Hall, a brooding look across his face. Or in the tavern, attempting to drink Iron Bull under the table but always ending up with being carried to his bed by whoever had pulled Fenris duty.

Kayla assisted in the infirmary, tending to the wounded and sick. Her spirit magic healing most aliments. The Inquisition's healers were grateful for the extra help from an experienced elven healer. And to have the Hero of Ferelden assisting in their humble infirmary was an honour. Kayla's wolf, Fen, patrolled the snowy grounds of Skyhold when he was not by Kayla's side. The sight of the beast had frightened quite a few of Skyhold's residents at first, but they grew used to his silent wanderings. And the kids that frequented Skyhold loved to sneak him treats from the kitchens and rub his belly as though he was a dog.

But during the evening hours, when many of Skyhold's residents had turned in for the night, Kayla and Fenris joined Dorian.

Dorian had barely left his little alcove since their return from the Western Approach. His lovely tan slowly started to fade and dark circles under his eyes grew as he spent every available minute in the library. The pile of books around his chair and small table steadily grew as he tried anything that will help him rescue his Amatus. The grief stricken Altus often forgot to eat and going to sleep in a normal bed never even entered his mind. Dorian's lack of self care was evident to anyone who saw him. The man, who was so proud of his appearance, now had hair that sat lank and un-styled on his head. And his lackluster mustache was soon joined by an unkempt black beard. To the Inquisitor's Inner Circle, it was obvious that the mage was spiraling into a deep depression. But anytime anyone of them tried to talk to him or get him to eat or sleep, they were met with a blank stare and silence. Kayla and Fenris were the only two that seemed to get any type of reaction from the man. They took it upon themselves to not let Dorian fall any further into the crippling depression he was in. Every night they would raid the kitchens for food before heading up the stairs into the library. Together the pair of elves would make themselves comfortable on the floor of Dorian's alcove and share dinner together. Every so often, Kayla would push pieces of bread and meat and cheeses into Dorian's hands and force him to eat.

All three would sit in silence, not bringing up their loss. There was no need. All of them knew what the other was feeling.

One night when they climbed the stairs to the landing, Dorian was not found in his usual seat. A quick glance around the empty library confirmed that the Altus was not around. Kayla pushed her cooper curls out of her face as the hair was blown into her face. Looking up, they could just see the door next to the Nightingale's makeshift office ajar.

"It appears the Altus has gone for a stroll in the moonlight." Kayla said as she placed their dinner on the table before leading the way to the next set of stairs. Fenris followed her on silent feet.

"You don't think he's done anything stupid, do you?" The former slave asked her as they reached the landing of Leliana's crows nest.

Kayla looked slightly worried at the question. "I really hope not. Dorian's probably our best chance of rescuing Alistair and Hawke and Onyvr. We need him."

Pushing the door to the landing all the way open, the two elves stepped out into the night. Both sets of their pointed ears perked up when the sound of sobbing drifted over them. Walking quietly, they rounded the bend to find Dorian, back against the wall, knees drawn tightly to his chest with his forehead resting on them, crying. With a shared sigh, Kayla moved to sit next to Dorian while Fenris leaned against the tower wall.

Dorian jumped slightly when he felt a small, delicate hand on his back. With a sniffle, he scrubbed at his eyes, trying to wipe away the sadness and tears on his face. Kayla encouraged him to rest his head on her shoulder as her hand continued to rubbed small circles on his back. Dorian's sobs slowly subsided as he was comforted by the smaller mage.

Fenris watched over them both, the raw emotion in the air affecting even him. The emptiness in his soul that only Hawke could heal made his heart ache. And seeing Dorian's open pain and the identical expression on the Hero's face, let Fenris know he wasn't the only one suffering.

"I'm sorry." Dorian's hoarsely whispered, his throat sore from lack of use and crying. "I don't know what to do. I've gone through every single book the Inquisition has and I've got nothing. There are no documented accounts of anyone going into the Fade and returning alive. Other than Onyvr when the Breach blew up the Temple of Sacred Ashes. The only one who could get them out is stuck in there. I can't even bring myself to think of why he hasn't gotten them out yet." He tried to choke back the fresh sobs but they escaped just the same.

Kayla turned to wrap both arms around her fellow mage as he broke down again. Cradling Dorian to her chest, both her and Fenris heard the sad confession from Dorian before he passed out from exhaustion.

"I miss my Amatus."

*****

Solas kept to the shadows in his rotunda when he heard footsteps descending the stairs. The Hero of Ferelden came into view, followed by Fenris with a sleeping Dorian slung across his shoulders. He watched them pass as they headed out into the Great Hall. Hearing the door close behind them, Solas let out a breath he didn't realise he was holding. He took in the bedraggled appearance of Dorian and the waves of sadness emitting from his two elven companions. The bald elf made up his mind as he made his way to his couch. Laying down, Solas got comfortable. Closing his eyes, Solas focused his thoughts on the Inquisitor and hoped against all hope that he could find him in the Fade before it was too late. 

*****

The panicked shouts woke Dorian up from his thankfully dreamless sleep. Groggily he raised himself from the bed, wondering how he wound up in the Inquisitor's chambers. Before he could question it, another round of yelling drifted in through the windows.Shocked into alertness, Dorian grabbed a hold of his staff as he went running down the stairs and doorways into the Great Hall. He slid to a stop to avoid colliding with Kayla and Fenris coming through the entrance to the Hall. Kayla's hand was a tight grip around his wrist as she turned and led the way through the throngs of people crowding the large room. Weaving in and out of the scared Skyhold residents, Dorian, Kayla and Fenris reached the large doorway. Kayla's wolf, Fen, waited impatiently at the top of the stairs. Solas stood by his side, staff in hand. Hurrying down the staircase, the five of them met up with the rest of the Inner Circle, the Chargers and Inquisition troops. Commander Cullen was issuing orders, directing troops to various areas of the lower courtyard. Leliana and her archers manned the upper walkways and stairs, bows at the ready. Varric and Sera joined the ranks of bowmen as they grew. Solas, Vivienne and the more accomplished mages inserted themselves in between the archers, bolstering their numbers. 

The warriors and sword fighters hurried down the stairs after Cullen and Cassandra. They spread themselves out over the courtyard. Fenris drew his huge sword and fell in with Bull and the Chargers. Dorian, Kayla and Fen ran down after them, fire and ice crackling from the ends of their staffs. Fen bristled and growled, sharp teeth dripping with saliva. Everyone watched the center of the lower courtyard tensely. Grips tight on their weapons and whispers prayers to Andraste and the Maker as they stared. 

Stared at the huge rift slowly tearing through the fabric of the Fade into the real world.


	4. Home At Last

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone finally catches a break. Granted they have to go through a bit to get it though.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why do I make them suffer so? I honestly can't help it. I promise I do actually love them. Pinkie promise.

Inquisitor Lavellan drifted in and out of consciousness as he was carried through the dark tunnel. He heard snippets of conversation between Alistair and Hawke, none of which really made sense to him. The voices were no more than white noise to his pain muddled mind. The only thing he could understand was that they were following a wolf to somewhere that wasn't the Nightmare. During one of his awake periods, the mage spotted said black wolf they were following. The huge beast led the way through the labyrinth, surefooted in each twist and turn it made. Its glowing red eyes shined in the light from the makeshift torch Hawke was carrying. The quiet snuffling from the wolf, the shuffling of his two companion's feet and Alistair's steady heart beat next to his ear lulled Onyvr back to sleep. Sleep that masked the throbbing in his head and the despair and fear in his heart at their seemingly hopeless situation.

*****

"Ow" Onyvr moaned as he was jolted awake. His slender fingers rubbed at the fresh bump on his head where Alistair had accidentally banged his head against the narrowing tunnel wall.

"Really Alistair? That's exactly what he needs right now. Another head injury. He'll be lucky to remember his own name by the end of this." Hawke scolded the Grey Warden.

"I didn't do it on purpose, you know. Last thing I want is for Onyvr to forget that he's the only one who can stop Corypheus." The man retorted before failing to suppress a shudder. "Or heaven forbid, forgets who Dorian is. I very much doubt the Tevinter would take kindly to that."

Hawke barked out a short laugh. "I wouldn't want to be you if that happened. Pretty sure Pavus would kill you, bring you back from the dead just to kill you again."

"La la la. Not listening" Alistair put his fingers in his ears after placing Onyvr gently on the ground. 

"Ugh, grow up, you man child." Hawke stuck her tongue out at him as she crouched down in front of Lavellan. "How are you feeling?"

Onyvr held his head with his hands, rubbing gently at the pain. "I've felt better. Where are we?"

Alistair sat down next to them. "We're not exactly sure. Just been following Fen'harel here."

"Fen'harel?" The Dalish elf was surprised at the sentence that come from the human.

"That's what you called him when you saw him the first time." Alistair chuckled at the surprised expression on the Inquisitor's face. 

"I did?" Onyvr looked over at the black wolf waiting patiently for them. "I can see why I called him that. Best keep going to wherever he's leading us. Anywhere is better than where we were." The Inquisitor struggled to his feet with the aid of Alistair and Hawke. Hawke handed Onyvr his staff she had been carrying for him to lean against. 

The Dread Wolf trotted over to the Inquisitor's side as an extra support. The elf's hand automatically reached out to run his fingers through the soft fur. Hawke and Alistair hovered behind the pair in case Onyvr lost consciousness again. With the Dread Wolf guiding, all four continued on through the dark tunnels. Each step taking them closer to home and their loved ones.

*****

After what felt like ages, the end of the tunnel was in sight. The wolf run ahead of the trio, tail wagging. Onyvr, Nyx and Alistair blinked in the Fade green light as they followed the Dread Wolf out into the open. Even though they were still in the Fade, it felt lighter than the heaviness that had pressed down on them in the Nightmare Fade. Hawke helped Onyvr sit down on a nearby rock as Alistair looked around cliff side clearing. The Fade's version of snow crunched underfoot as the Warden walked over to the edge of overhang of their clearing. 

"No way! Hawke! Look!" Alistair called the Champion over.

"What is it?" Onyvr answered from his rock as Hawke joined the Warden.

Nyx gasped as she spied what Alistair had found. "You're kidding! It's Skyhold! No doubt about it."

The Inquisitor got to his feet as quickly as he could so he could see for himself. "Home." He whispered.

"How do we get down there?"Asked Alistair as he started searching for a way down. 

"Over there." Hawke pointed at a set of stairs carved into the cliff face. "Let's go!" 

Nyx wrapped an arm around the Dalish elf's waist to help him down the rocky stairs. Alistair led the way downwards, testing each step before moving onto the next one. The Dread Wolf trailed after them and soon all four of them were at the bottom. They stood at the edge of the bridge that led into Fade Skyhold. Free floating pieces of mortar and stone decorated the green sky above the fortress. Luckily for them, the heavy doors that granted entrance to the lower courtyard stood open, inviting them in. Their wolf guide allowed each of them to pat his head in thanks before leaving them at the entrance. 

"Kayla is never going to believe that I met Fen'harel." Alistair laughed to himself.

"Don't worry. We'll back you up." Onyvr nudged his shoulder with his own before turning back towards the bridge.

With a decisive nod, the trio crossed the stone bridge into Skyhold and into the lower courtyard. The courtyard stood empty, vastly different from the real world Skyhold that bustled with merchants and soldiers that frequented the area. 

"So what do we do now?" Hawke asked as she gazed up at the battlements. The rogue felt like they were being watched but she couldn't see anyone or anything.

Onyvr leaned heavily on his staff, his head resting against the rune the adorned the top. The feeling of nausea was back and he starting to feel woozy. "Umm. I recall Solas saying something about Skyhold when we first moved in here. That it was built by the ancient elves and that their magic still remains strong even after centuries of neglect." Onyvr paused to focus on forcing his stomach to settle. He couldn't afford to lose anymore strength when they were so close. "He... umm... What was it? That's right. The magic protects the fortress from outside influences. Fade or otherwise. It's one of the reasons why there hasn't been any rifts opening up here."

Alistair caught on with what the Inquisitor was trying to explain. "So what you're saying is that you won't be able to open a rift home?"

"Yes and no. Since leaving the Nightmare, my connection with the Anchor and the Fade has become stronger and I can open Rifts again. However, because of the magic here, it'll only be temporary. Skyhold's magic will force it shut once it has been open. How long I can keep it open for, I can't say. Plus, the moment I start, the demons that are lurking here will come down from the battlements and try and get through." Onyvr explained to his two companions.

"Oh good. You felt them too." Hawke breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm not going crazy. So what do you want us to do?"

Alistair pulled his long sword from its sheathe and readied himself. "What we're going to do is protect the Inquisitor so he can open the way home. I want some cheese. I'm starving."

Hawke pulled out her daggers and moved to stand guard on Onyvr's other side. "Cheese? That's what you want? I'm going to get some ale into me and then jump Fenris's bones. Maybe have a bath."

Onyvr took a deep breath as he raised his left hand out in front of him. "I shall try my hardest to fulfill those wishes." And with that, he opened his fist and concentrated on opening the rift. 

The moment the green light shot out of his hand, the demons began clamoring down the various staircases towards them. A dozen wraiths, a couple of despair demons and a rage demon raced towards them only to be met with the Warden's sword or the Champion's daggers. The pair ducked and dodged around each other as they battled against their foes. A well timed blast from a wraith sent Alistair hurtling into a stone wall. His left arm took all his weight as he landed on it and even Hawke and Onyvr heard the bone break. He muffled his cry of pain as he struggled back to his feet, arm hanging limply at his side as Alistair threw himself back into the fight. Hawke joined forces with him to shield the Inquisitor from the Rage demon bearing down on him. 

Onyvr was struggling with opening the rift large enough to allow them access. His head pounded from the effort and the sweat dripping down his face made his long snow white hair stick to his face. A couple of despair demons made it to the rift and through it. Followed shortly by a half dozen wraiths. 

"They're getting through!" Onyvr yelled at the two humans. "I can't stop-"

Onyvr was cut off as the screech of a terror demon erupted from below him. Before he could move, the long, spindly creature burst up from the ground below, flinging him into the air. The elf's staff clattered to the ground as the demon caught Onyvr by the head in one hand. The sharp claws dug into his head. Onyvr screamed in pain as he clutched helpless at the hand. One of the terror demon's claws had pierced right through one of his slim, pointed ears and pressed into his skull. The pressure build up was threatening to make the mage blackout and would have done so had it not been for Hawke. The rogue had scaled the staircase and had taken a flying leap onto the creature's back. She clung to her daggers that were now impaled in it back. The terror demon screeched in pain as it dropped the Inquisitor to lash out at the Champion on its back. The rogue wasn't quick enough to dodge the sharp talons as they slashed through the air. Hawke rolled as she hit the ground, three decent sized claw marks dripping blood across her chest and stomach where they had cut through her armor. While the demon was distracted with Hawke, Alistair crept up from behind and thrust his sword into the demon's chest. It's dying scream echoed around the courtyard as it fell. 

The Grey Warden panted from exhaustion and pain as he withdrew his sword. The aching from his broken arm was getting worse and he knew he couldn't go on for much longer. Nyx snatched her daggers out of the terror demon's back, blood dripping down from her chest. She was lucky and the cuts were shallow but still stung. When the terror demon had dropped Onyvr, the mage had broken his left ankle when he landed onto the hard stone floor. He had found his staff and was using it as a crutch to get around. Onyvr bled rivers of red into his hair from the puncture in his ear and from where the demon's claws had dug into his skull. So much so that there was barely a white strand of hair on his head. The only good thing about the attack was it had relieved the pressure in his head and it didn't feel like his head was going to explode. 

"Maker's breath! It looks like you've been swimming in blood." Alistair exclaimed when he saw the Inquisitor.

"We can joke about how I don't look good as a red head when we're home." Onyvr grunted in pain as he accidentally shifted his weight onto his broken ankle. "We need to go now. I can't make that rift any bigger and it's not going to stay open forever."

Hawke rushed to Onyvr's side to help him through the doorway. Alistair guarded their backs from the demons that were left in the courtyard, while the Champion held onto the back of his armor to pull him through with him. 

*****

The Inquisitor's Inner Circle led the Inquisition troops as the first of the demons emerged the rift. The despair demons let out wails as they shot streams of freezing cold ice at the soldiers attacking them. Cassandra, Blackwall and Cullen banged their swords against their shields to draw their attention away from the archers shooting arrows at them. One of the despair demons was engulfed in fire cast by Dorian, hot enough to reduce to it to ashes in seconds. Fenris fazed through the troops to bring his giant two handed sword down through the other demon's head, cutting it in two. The rift then spat out a handful of wraiths around the area. Arrows, spells and a few jars of bees rained through the air at them. All the while, the rogues and melee fighters came in from behind to finish them off. Skyhold rang with the sounds of battle and the screams of dying demons. 

"Rage demon!" Shouted Varric from his vantage point on the stairs. 

The demon felt the anger in the air and used it to build its strength and increase in size. The creature snarled and swiped at the fighters who tried to engage it in battle. 

Dorian ran up the stairs to find the Hero of Ferelden. "Kayla! Need an ice mage!"

"On it!" The cooper haired elf jumped down the stairs towards the source of the problem. Swinging her staff around, the small elf slammed the end into the ground and sent out a pillar of ice, freezing the rage demon in place. Fenris swung his sword upwards, shattering the demon into shards. 

"Is that all of them?" Cassandra asked as she watched the rift visibly shrink a bit. 

"I think so. It appears to be closing on its on." Blackwall answered. 

Varric cocked his crossbow at the rift just in case something made it through before it could seal itself off. A sudden movement from rift caused Varric to fire twice in quick succession. The rift abruptly closed, leaving the Inquisitor, Grey Warden and Champion behind in its wake. The entire courtyard went completely silent from shock as Hawke yelled at Varric.

"Are you fucking serious, Varric?! First thing you do when you see me is shot me in the goddamn leg. What the hell dwarf? I should've just stayed in the bloody Fade." Hawke grabbed at her thigh muscle where a crossbow bolt was embedded. 

"Aw shit. Sorry Hawke. Thought you were another demon. It's been a busy morning." Varric turned red from embarrassment as he hurried down the stairs. 

"I'll take an apology Varric." Onyvr grumbled at his newest injury of an arrow in his shoulder as he leaned on Alistair's good side for support.

"Inquisitor!" Shouted Cassandra and Commander Cullen as they rushed over to the group. A huge cheer went up through the troops as the news of their savior's escape from the Fade spread quickly.

The moment Fenris had heard Hawke yelling at Varric, he was running for her. The tattooed elf scooped her up in his arms and buried his face in her hair to hide his emotions from the crowd. Hawke could hear the whispered, "You're back. I thought I lost you. Don't leave me. I love you." that Fenris muttered into her hair. She grabbed a hold of face to draw him into a very affectionate kiss.

The Hero of Ferelden was right behind Fenris, zeroing in on Alistair. Kayla smothered the man in kisses while tears of joy and relief streamed down her face.

"Ouch. Be careful of the arm, sweet thing. Don't need it any more broken than it already is." Warned Alistair jokingly. The Dalish elf just laughed at her lover's corny humor.

Dorian almost went tumbling down the stairs in his haste to get to his Amatus's side. The mage skidded to a stop in front of his lover, in shock. The Inquisitor's beautiful long white hair shone bright red with blood. A cut above his eye slowly oozed blood down the side of his face. A crossbow bolt was lodged in his shoulder which added even more blood to his stained clothes. Lavellan's skin was getting paler by the minute and mix in the broken ankle that was quickly starting to swell and the effort he needed to even open a rift at Skyhold, Dorian was amazed he was still standing.

"Vhenan. You're all fuzzy. Was your mustache getting lonely?" Onyvr joked at Dorian's unkempt appearance.

The Altus stepped forward and carefully swept the Dalish elf into his arms, mindful of his many injuries. "You're one to talk. Showing up here after months have gone by, drenched in blood and in absolutely no state to make up for all the worrying you caused me." Dorian started to scold the elf in his arms as he carried him towards the Inquisitor's chambers. The Tevinter mage knew Josephine would send healers up after them.

With his free hand, Onyvr reached up to run his fingers through Dorian's new beard as Dorian carried him through the Great Hall to his door. "I kinda like it. It's soft and it suits you." Dorian smiled his first smile in months at the Inquisitor's words.

"Do you now? We'll see how much you like it when you're feeling more yourself. Blood loss can do funny things to a person." Joked the mage as he climbed the stairs to the tower. He pushed open the chamber's door, scaled the last set of stairs to go and lay Onyvr down on his bed.

The mage dragged Onyvr's work chair over to the bed before sitting down next to him. He laced their fingers together as they waited for the healers to come and tend to Onyvr's injuries.

"You know, even as remarkable as you are, I was so worried that I would never see you again. To hold you or kiss you again. I'm pretty sure all this worrying over you has aged me 20 years." Dorian started rambling as he kissed the hand that he held.

"Oh ma vhenan. You know nothing would ever keep me away from you. Not even the Fade itself, which I proved today. Sure it took longer than expected but I will always come back to you." Onyvr smiled warmly at the man clutching his hand. The comfort of the bed and the warmth of Dorian's hand set Onyvr at ease. Not even the arrow still stuck in his shoulder or his other injuries could stop him from drifting off to sleep.

The Altus heard the healers coming up the stairs but not even their hurried footsteps could drown out the elf's whisper as he fell asleep.

"Ar lath ma, vhenan."

*****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ar lah ma, vhenan = I love you, my heart


End file.
